Vote16

Overview

A lower voting age enhances the legitimacy, representation, and democratic virtue of an election. It is this assertion upon which the Youth Council has based its advocacy for votes at sixteen, starting municipally. In the 2015-16 term, Edmonton City Council and Catholic School Board endorsed a lower voting age to the Alberta Ministry of Municipal Affairs as a result of Youth Council advocacy.

In the 2016-17 term, we supported the Public School Board to follow suit: Edmonton municipal government now stands united in requesting votes at sixteen. It is now time for Alberta to follow in the "history of democracy [which] is the history of progressive enfranchisement", as Chief Justice McLachlin put it.

Youth Council endeavours to see all sixteen-year-olds voting for their mayors, councillors, and trustees. A lower voting age is a change which would re-energise engagement in our municipal democracies. We need the support of other Albertan cities to help the provincial authorities legislate. Consult the research for yourself and support our campaign.